Homecoming
by SirJoshizzle
Summary: San Diego, California: He knew somewhere on that Navy base, Zelda was there waiting for him. 'It's been so long Zelda, but I'm back,' he smiled to himself. 'I'm coming home.' AU, Link x Zelda, Oneshot, Zelink, Veteran's Day Tribute.


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Start time: Monday November 12, 2007; 12:00 AM PST

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What's new in the neighborhood? Well, my blog's revamped. Welcome to _The Life and Times of SirJoshizzle_, Version 2.0 _Just Dream._ I actually think it's more aesthetically pleasing than how it looked before I updated it today, don't you think?** SirJoshizzle(dot)BlogSpot(dot)com**. 

Oh yeah, my profile hit 10000 views this morning! WOW! Thanks, viewers.

So anyway, this oneshot has been buzzing through my mind for quite a while, and I decided it was pretty appropriate to publish it because of Veteran's Day here in the US (I think it's called Remembrance Day in Canada, eh?). Just really, quick and good Zelink goodness for all of us to enjoy.

I do not own _The Legend of Zelda._

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Homecoming  
SirJoshizzle

Location: Naval Station San Diego, Pier 6. San Diego, California.  
Date: Saturday July 14, 2007.  
Time: 9:32 AM.

"Excuse me?"

Zelda gently tapped the shoulder of a man dressed in a utilities uniform, his sleeves rolled up a little past his elbows. He turned away from the man he was talking to and smiled politely. "Yes, ma'am?"

"Do you know when the ship should be pulling in?" She asked as a soft breeze swept by.

The man knit his brows slightly. He checked his watch. "Ahh, it should be here pretty soon. She'll be docked at 9:45, so it shouldn't be much longer."

Zelda smiled softly and nodded. "Thank you."

"Is there someone on the Bunker Hill you waitin' for?" The other sailor asked in his deep voice, pulling the cigarette out of his mouth.

"Yeah," she nodded. "My boyfriend."

"Huh," he puffed out a small cloud of smoke. "What's his last name?"

"Avalon," she answered.

He furrowed his brows at that. "Avalon, Avalon… S'it Link Avalon?"

"That's right," she smiled. "You know him?"

"We should," the guy she tapped chuckled. "He's a pretty important guy on the base. An officer, he is."

Zelda's boyfriend since high school—they both were in their mid-twenties now—Link, was an O-1, an Ensign in the United States Navy. It's the lowest rank among the ten commissioned officer's ranks, but it was beyond the normal non-commissioned sailors like those two men, and a person like Link deserved some respect.

"How long's it been since Bunker Hill shipped off?" The sailor took another drag out of his cigarette.

"Eight months," Zelda frowned slightly. "He was really supposed to be gone six, but they were delayed back in Yokosuka."

"Ahh, that's right," the man in the utilities uniform combed his fingers through his mid-length dark brown hair. Another soft breeze swept past the three, the morning sun shining warmly but comfortably down upon them and the rest of the families awaiting the arrivals of their loved ones.

Zelda looked out hopefully into the glittering sea beyond all of the balloons and banners little children were holding. The San Diego-Coronado Bay Bridge rose gracefully over the San Diego Bay, connecting the mainland with the Coronado Peninsula. And over the horizon, she could see a small gray object slowly but surely sailing in from the Pacific Ocean.

**- - - - - - - - - -**

Location: USS Bunker Hill. Pacific Ocean, 8 Miles off the Coast of San Diego, California.  
Date: Saturday July 14, 2007.  
Time: 9:38 AM.

"Link!"

Link Avalon gently tore his gaze off of the ocean and turned to his right, and saw his best friend Sheik Adlez in his enlisted full-dress uniform running towards him, saluting the officers he passed by as he did so.

"Good morning, sir," Sheik smiled goofily as he slowed down to a halt beside Link, saluting him.

"Come on, Sheik, you don't have to do that," he shook his head as he rendered the salute. "And what's up with you all of a sudden? I've seen some of the guys get excited after finally coming home, but you're another story."

"Hey!" Sheik lightly punched his arm. "It's been over half a year since I've seen Malon. She's pregnant after all… She's could be due any minute now!"

Link chuckled to himself. He and Sheik both enlisted at the same time, yet he ascended the ranks faster and became an officer. While Sheik was holding his own, he was still non-commissioned, a Master Chief.

"Besides, aren't you excited to see Zelda?" Sheik raised an eyebrow, leaning against the railing next to Link.

"Of course I am," Link smiled happily at the thought of Zelda's golden blonde hair and her sparkling indigo eyes. "It's just that I've learned to control my emotions better."

Sheik just laughed at that, shaking his head. "You never change, Link."

Link simply smiled, taking off his combination cover and running a hand through his unruly blonde hair. How was Zelda doing?, he thought. He'd only written her emails and letters the whole eight months they were apart. They hadn't called or connected through satellite or anything, even though he had virtually every opportunity to do so while on the ship and wherever in the Pacific he happened to be.

The two looked out into the horizon as the Coronado Bay Bridge grew larger, the coast of the Point Loma and Coronado Peninsulas becoming more defined. The buildings of Downtown San Diego rose in the background, and he could see the shipyards of the Navy Base.

He knew that somewhere on that Navy base, Zelda was there waiting for him.

It's been so long, Zelda, but I'm back, he smiled to himself.

I'm coming home.

**- - - - - - - - - -**

Location: Naval Station San Diego, Pier 6. San Diego, California.  
Date: Saturday July 14, 2007.  
Time: 9:54 AM.

"I missed you so much!"

"Welcome home!"

"I love you..."

"Hey, you've grown so much!"

The various cries of joy and laughter were abound on the pier as Zelda tried to make her way through, looking for Link. The Bunker Hill had pulled in and completely docked almost ten minutes ago, but there was no sign of him. She didn't even see him on the ship as it pulled in, when the hundreds of other men and women onboard were waving and shouting out to the crowds.

She smiled softly at the sights of couples finally being reunited, parents welcoming back their sons and daughters, sailors finally meeting their new children, it all made her so happy inside. They're feeling it, she thought. The feeling of finally being completed, after having someone so precious to them be taken away for eight long months. She wanted to feel it as well. She wanted to find Link.

After pushing through a few families, she found Malon and Sheik, wrapped in each other's arms and laughing happily.

"Hey, it's Zel!" Malon pointed to Zelda. Sheik laid his gentle red eyes on her and laughed. Zelda smiled at him and the two quickly embraced, Sheik picking her up slightly as they hugged.

"Hey!" Sheik said as they pulled away. "You're lookin' pretty well."

"You too!" Zelda glowed. "It's been some time! How was everything!?"

"Ahh, it was good," Sheik sighed nostalgically. "I got you some stuff. Visited Yokosuka, Guam, Pearl Harbor, Singapore, Darwin… But it's good to finally be back in good ol' SD."

Zelda giggled at that. "So you're about to be a father!"

"Oh yeah," Sheik nodded, rubbing Malon's round belly. "Anyway now."

"What am I, a crystal ball!?" Malon swatted Sheik's hand as the three laughed. It made Zelda happy. It's been so long since they were like that. But someone was missing.

"Sheik," Zelda calmed down. "Where's Link?"

"I don't know, Zelda," Sheik shook his head as she frowned sadly. "I was talking with him on the ship, and he disappeared somewhere."

"I'm right here."

Zelda froze. She knew that voice. The same voice that comforted her and lulled her to sleep so many nights before. She slowly turned around…

And there Link Avalon was, standing right in front of her, smiling that same smile that made her heart melt repeatedly.

"It's been a while," he spoke in his arrestingly masculine voice, tilting his head to the side slightly.

Zelda didn't say anything. She run dashed for him and jumped into his open arms, grabbed both his cheeks and pulled him in for a kiss that well made up for eighth months of loneliness.

"Mmph!" Link staggered backwards, almost falling on his back, but he managed to stay balanced and supported Zelda by placing his hands underneath her upper thighs. It was wonderful, being like that, especially after so long. She wrapper her arms around his neck, and he moved one hand to her back, while propping her body up in place with his other.

"Link…" She wept softly into his neck, staining the collar of his full dress uniform with her tears. "I missed you… I missed you so—"

"Shh," he whispered, pulling his head backwards a little to get a better look at her face. He chuckled softly and wiped her tears away and kissing her lips gently. "I know… And I missed you too. You were all I thought about."

The two kissed again, the heat growing in their mouths and in his white dress pants. They pulled away as he gently set her on the ground and embraced her tightly.

"Did you have a good time?" Zelda asked him, clinging on to his neck.

"Yeah," he nodded. "Picked you up some souvenirs. Sheik got you some too."

"I know," she said. "He told me."

"…God, it was so boring on the ship without you."

She giggled. "Surely you went out at night with Sheik and your friends, right?"

"Yeah," he kissed her forehead. "But still…"

"Go to any strip clubs?" She laughed , pressing her hand against his chest, examining the numerous ribbons and medals over his heart. She traced the outline of his name on his nametag, "AVALON."

"Just because I'm a sailor," he scoffed jokingly and she giggled in reply. "…No, I didn't. The others did, though. Back in Hawaii. Sheik went. Don't tell Malon, especially since she's pretty moody this late in the game, I bet."

Zelda laughed and looked up at him, and he looked down, giving her his trademark youthful grin. "I won't."

"Hey, come on, you two!" They heard Malon and Sheik call for them. Link and Zelda looked at them, and they were getting ready to leave, Sheik's bags slung over his shoulder.

"We're gonna celebrate!" Sheik gave them a thumbs up.

The two laughed and reluctantly broke apart from each other. Link picked up his bags, Zelda helping him.

"Let's go," Link nodded the side of his head towards Malon and Sheik. Zelda nodded with a bright smile and joined with them, the four catching up long lost times.

Yes, this is how it's supposed to be, Zelda smiled to herself. She watched the families and couples around them as they walked down the pier towards the parking lot. She looked at Sheik and Link as they laughed happily and leaned forward to see Malon joining with them. It was just like eight months ago.

Sheik… Link…

Welcome home.

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So this is my tribute to Veteran's Day/Remembrance Day. It's no AWoL chapter fifteen, but this should hopefully keep you satisfied. I personally can relate, since I live in San Diego (all locations are factual, people). My dad was in the Navy, and USS Bunker Hill was the ship he was last deployed on before he retired. 

So, Version 2.0 of the blog's up, AWoL chapter fourteen is up if you didn't know… Oh yeah, AWoL exceeded 7000 hits! WOW! Now, what was my prediction before completion again?

Happy Veteran's Day, and _Enjoy Life and Smile._

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End time: Monday November 12, 2007; 1:47 AM PST

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